Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-09-18

I uOudICu 1u0 aDJCSl dh0 ocA NAAs
and subjects, for in his country the people
themselves are rulers. He will not find il
in the story of bloody foreign cOnquests,
for his government has been content t.
care for its own domain and people. He
should rejoice, because the work of fran
ing our constitution was completed one
hundred years ago to-day, and also because
when completed it established free gov
eminent.
He should rejoice, because this constitu.
ton and government. have survived SC
long, and also because they have survived
WITH MANY BLESSINGS
and have demonstrated so fully the strength
and yalue of popular rule. He should re-
joice in the wOndrous growth and achieve
ments Of the past one hundred years, and
also in the glorious promise of the consti-
tuition through centuries to come. We
shall fail to be duly thankful for all that
was done for Us, one hundred years ago,
unless we realize the difficulties of the
work then in hand, and the dangers avert
ed in the task of forming "a more perfect
union" between disjointed inharmonious
States. with interests and opinions radi-
eally diverse and stubbOrnly maintained.
The perplexities of the convention which
undertook the labor of preparing our Con-
stitution are apparent in these earnest
words of one of the most illustriOus of its
members: "The small progress we have
made after four or five weeks Of close at
| tendance and continued reasonings with
each other;
Our DIFFERENT SENTIMENTS
on almost every question, several Of the
last producing as many noes as yeas is,
me thinks, melancholy proof OF the i'm
perfection of the human understa nding.
| We indeed seem to feel our own want of
political wisdom, since we have been run
ming about in search of it. We have gone
back to ancient history, for models of gov
erument, and examined the different forms
of those republics, which having been
formed with the seeds of their own dissO-
luton now no longer exist. In this situa-
ton of this assembly, cropping as it were
in the dark to find political truth and
scarce able to distinguish it when presented
to us, how has it happened sir that we
have not heretofore once thought Ofhumbly
applying to the father Of light to illumi-
nate our understanding"
! And this man proposing to his fellows
! that the aid and blessing of God.
SHOULD BE INVOKED
in their extremity, declared: ~ have lived
sir, long time, and the longer live the
more convincing proofs see of the truth
1 that God governs in the affairs of men, and
if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground
without his notice is it probable that an
empire eau rise without his aid? We have
been assured, sir, in the sacred writings
that except the Lord build the house, they
labor in vain that build it. l firmly
believe this and / also believe that with
out bis concurring aid, we shall succeed
| in this political building no better than
the builder of Babel, we shall be divided
by our little partial and local interests.
oar projects will be confouuded and we
ourselves shall become
REPROACH AND A BY-wORD
down TO future ages; and, what is worse,
mankind may hereafter, from the untortu-
nate instance, despair of establishing gov
| ernments by human wisdom and leave it
\ to chance. war and conquest"
Ia the face of all discouragements the
father of the republic labored on for four
! long, weary months, in alternate hope aud
fear, out always with rugged resolves,
never taltering in sturdy endeavor, sane
| titled by prophetic sense Of the value to
posterity Of their success, and always with
unflinehing faces in the principles which
make the foundation of a government by
the people. At last their task was done.
It was related that upon the back OF the
chair occupied by Washington as the
president of the convention
sun WAS PAINTED,
and that as the delegates were signing the
completed constitution, one of them said:
al have often and often, in the course of
the session, and in the sOliCitude Of my
hopes, looked at that behind the President
| without being able to tell whether it was
rising or setting, but now at length l know
that il is a rising aud not setting sun"
! We stand to-day on the spot where this
rising sun emerged from political night
| aud darkness, and in its own bright mer-
idian light we mark its glorious way.
| Clouds have sometimes Obscured its rays,
and dreadful storms have made us fear,
brit God has held it in its course, and
! through its life-e wing warmth has per-
| IOIuleu MS latest HllaCiC III tue CiSatiVu vi
THIS wuSDROUS LAND
and people.
| As we look down the past century, to
| the origin OF. our constitutions; as We con-
\ template its trials and its triumphs as we
realize how completely the principles upon
which it is based have met every national
peril and every national need. How de-
voutly we should confess, with Franklin,
God governs the affairs of men" And
how solemn should be the reflection that
| to our hands is committed the spark OF the
people's covenant, and that ours Is the
duty to shield il from impious hands. We
receive it sealed with the tests Of cen
tury. 1t has been found sufficient in the
past and in all the future years it will be
found sufficient if the American people are
true to their sacred trusts. Another CEN
tennial day will come, and millions yet
unborn will inquire
CONCERNING OUR Stewardship
and the safety of their Constitution. God
grant that they may find it umimpaired,
and as we rejoice in the patriotism and de-
votion of those who lived hundred years
ago, so may others who follows us rejoice
in our fidelity and in our Jealous love for
constitutional liberty.
While President Cleveland was in the
middle OF his remarks the soft, mellow
sound of the bell in the eupOla of the State
House, which occupies the place of honor
on the structure wherein repose that
cracked and time-stsined mass of metal,
the liberty bell, rang out the hour OF
twelve, and ct each stroke a rousing cheer
went up from the crowd. The President
was obliged to stop talking for few sec
onds. II was Just 1905 when the Presi-
dent uttered his last word, and he at once
returned to his seat. Before he echo OF
the words had died away there was cheer
ing which was deafening. While the ap-
plause was still going on the chorus broke
| into patriotic air. The din wss terrible.
As far as the eye could reach there was one
solid, seething surging mass of humanity,
and then their threats opened in unison
! THEY PULLED THE AIR
aud made ali inspiring scene. When quiet
once more reigued Chief Justice Samuel F.